Cushion closing device



Aug. 29, 1939. A. J. KAY 2,171,066

Cb'SHION CLOSING DEIVICE Filed Jan. 28, 1939 2 Sheet s -=Shet 1 Law ""1INVENTOR A'RNEY.

Aug. 29, 1939. A. J. KAY 2,171,066

CUSHION CLCSING DEVICE Filed Jan. 28, 1939 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 I F54 w 36INVENTOR. AU. KAY.

ATTORNEY.

Patented Aug. 29, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 5 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in cushion closing devices.

The general object of the invention is to provide an improved apparatusfor closing the filling 5 end of an overstuffed cushion.

Another object of the invention is to provide means for stretching theupper edge of the filling end of a cushion to assist in the closing ofthe end.

A further object of the invention is to provide novel metal clip meansfor closing the filling end of a cushion.

A still further object of the invention is to provide novel means forapplying a metal clip to a cushion for closing the filling end thereof.

Other objects and the advantages of my invention will be apparent fromthe following description taken in connection with the accom panyingdrawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary front elevation of my improved cushion closingdevice;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary section taken on line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary enlarged View of the stretching mechanism partlyin section;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary section taken on line 4-4 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged side elevation of one of the metal clips; Fig. 6is an enlarged fragmentary side view of the clip closing apparatusshowing it in an open position; and

Fig. '7 is a View similar to Fig. 6 showing the apparatus in a closedposition.

35 Referring to the drawings by reference characters I have indicated myimproved cushion closing device generally at I0. As shown the device I0includes a table portion I2 supported by a suitable frame I3. Supportedby the frame 40 I3 adjacent the front of the device I provide a pair ofspaced downwardly directed T irons I4 and I and spaced therebelow Iprovide a pair of upwardly directed T irons I6 and II which aresupported by portions of the frame I3.

At one side of the frame I3 I provide an upwardly extending bracketmember I8 having an inverted T iron I9 loosely pivotally connectedthereto as at 20.

The T iron I9 when in a horizontal position 50 is spaced above the tableI2 and extends thereacross to beyond the opposite side. Above the tableI2 the iron I9 has a plate 2| secured thereto. The end of the iron I9adjacent the pivot 20 extends outwardly beyond the bracket .I8 apredetermined distance and has one end of a. downwardly inclined coiledspring 22 connected thereto as at 23 and the opposite end of the springis anchored to a position of the frame I3 as at 24.

For retaining the iron I9 in a down position 5 I provide a latch member25 located adjacent the opposite end of the iron I9 from the bracket I8.The latch 25 comprises a strip of metal 26 having a right angularly bentlip portion 2'! at one end and at the opposite end is pivotally con- 10nected to the T iron I5 as at 23. When the latch 25 is in a verticalposition as shown in Fig. 2, the loose pivotal connection 20 allows theT iron to be moved laterally below the lip 21.

Thus it can be moved under the lip to retain the 15 iron I9 in a downposition or it can be moved out from under the lip 21 to release theiron l9. When the iron I9 is released from the latch 25 the spring 22swings the member I9 upward a desired distance.

On the plate 2| I provide a stretching mechanism which is indicatedgenerally at 30. As shown the mechanism 30 includes a bracket 3|positioned intermediate the length of the plate 2| and a bracket 32positioned adjacent the latch end of the member I9.

The bracket 32 supports a bearing member 33 which includes a cylindricalshank 34 positioned in an aperture 35 in the bracket 32. (See Fig. 4.)The shank 34 terminates in a reduced threaded portion 36 on which awasher 31 and nut 38 are positioned. The bearing member 33 extendsbeyond the front edge of the plate 2| and has an aperture 39 therein theaxis of which is parallel to the edge of the plate 2|.

The bracket 3| includes an integral bearing portion 40 which extendsoutwardly beyond the front edge of the plate 2| and has an open toppedslot 4| therein in line with the aperture 39 in the bearing 33.

Positioned in the aperture 39 of the bearing 33 I provide a hollow rod42 which includes a crank portion 43 on the end thereof adjacent thebracket 32. The rod 42 when in a horizontal position extends beyond thebearing 40 of the bracket 3| and is positioned in the slot 4|. From alocation adjacent the bracket 32 to the opposite end the rod isexternally threaded with a right hand thread as indicated at 44. At theside of the bearing 33 opposite the bracket 3| the rod 42 has a collar45 thereon which is secured to the rod by a pin 46. At the side of thebearing .40 opposite the bracket 32 the rod has a tip member 41 thereon.

The tip 4l has a recess 48 opening through one end thereof in which theend of the rod 42 is positioned and secured thereto by pins 49. The tip41 further includes a reduced aperture 58 which is threaded with a lefthand thread and which opens into the recess 48.

Positioned on the rod 42 between the bearings 33 and 48 I provide a gripmember 5|. As shown the grip member is formed of a flat strip of metaland includes a body porton 52 and an angularly bent leg portion 53. Thebody portion 52 has an aperture 54 therein in which the rod 42 ispositioned. The aperture 54 is of greater diameter than the rod 44 andis drilled at an angle to the faces of the body 52 so that when the bodyis tilted in one direction as shown in Fig. 3 opposite edges of theaperture will engage the threads 44 at the top and bottom of the rod.Thus when the rod 42 is rotated by the crank 43' the threads will movethe grip member along the threaded portion of the rod. When the gripbody 52 is moved to a vertical position the edges of the aperture 54 donot engage the threads 44 and the grip member may be freely moved alongthe rod 42.

The leg portion 53 of the grip 5| has a recess 55 therein which opensthrough the lower end of the leg and a threaded aperture 56 whichintersects the recess 55. Positioned in the recess 55 I provide a smallrod 51 which projects beyond the lower end of the leg 53 and terminatesin a pointed end 58.

The rod 51 is retained in position by a clamp screw 59 positioned in thethreaded aperture 56. Positioned in the hollow rod 42 I provide areduced rod 68 which includes a left hand threaded portion 6| whichengages the threads of the tip aperture 50. The rod 60 further includesa downwardly directed angularly bent end portion 62 which has a recess63 opening through the lower end thereof and a threaded aperture 64intersecting the recess 63. Positioned in the recess 63 I provide asmall rod 65 which extends beyond the lower end of the rod 60 andterminates in a pointed end 66. The rod 65 is retained by a clamp screwM which is positioned in the threaded aperture 64.

When the grip 5| is in a positionto engage the threads 44 of the rod 42and the rod 42 is rotated as previously described, the tip 41 rotateswith it and the engagement of the threads 50 thereof with the threads 6|of the rod 60 cause the rod 60, when it is held from turning, to move ina direction opposite to the direction of the grip member 5| is moved.

On the front of the frame I3 I provide a carriage member III whichincludes a vertical body portion II and an outwardly extendinghorizontal table portion 12. Adjacent the upper end the body lI includesa pair of spaced inwardly extending brackets 13 and spaced therebelow apair of spaced inwardly extending brackets 14. Eachof the brackets I3rotatably supports a pair of flanged wheels I5 one of which engages thelower edge of the web of the T iron I4 and the other engages the loweredge of the web of the T iron I5.

Each of the brackets I4 rotatably supports a pair of flanged wheels 16'one of which engages the upper end of the web of the inverted T iron 49and the other the upper edge of the web of the inverted T iron I1.

At the front the frame I3 includes a channel iron 'I'l below theinverted T iron I6 and a channel iron I8 adjacent the bottom of theframe. Adjacent the channel "the body II on each-side includes a bracketportion I9 which rotatably supports a roller which engages the frontflange of the channel 17.

Adjacent the channel 18 the body 11 on each side includes a bracketportion 8| which rotatably supports a roller 82 which engages the frontflange of the channel 18.

Intermediate the width thereof and adjacent the lower end the body IIincludes a pair of spaced outwardly extending lugs 83 to which one endof foot lever 84 is pivotally secured as at 85.

The lever 84 at the end opposite the pivot 85 includes an enlarged footplate 86 and is resiliently urged upwardly a desired distance by acoiled spring 81 one end of which is connected to the lever as at 88 andthe opposite end is anchored to a portion of the carriage ID as at 89.

The table'iZ has an open topped dovetail groove 90 therein and supportsa slide member 9|. The slide member 9| includes a base 92 having adepending dovetail boss 93 thereon positioned in the dovetail groove 99.The base 92 has a pair of spaced bracket portions 94 extending upwardlytherefrom which support a closing member 95.

The closing member 95 is made in the form of a pair of jaws having twosections 96 and 97 pivotally mounted on a pin 98 supported in thebrackets 94.

On the side of the brackets. 94 nearest to the table I 2 the section 99includes an elongated head portion 99 having a semi-cylindrical recessI99 in the under face thereof and on the opposite side includes a leverand hand grip portion I9I.

On the same radius from the pivot 98 as the head 99 the section 97includes. an elongated head portion I62 having a semi-cylindrical recessI03 in the upper face thereof and on the opposite side of the pivotincludes a lever portion I94.

Below the lever IIlI I provide a cam member I05 which is suitablysecured to a shaft I96 rotatably supported by the brackets 94. At oneside of the brackets the shaft I96 has a lever member I91 thereon whichincludes a handle, portion 598. The cam member I85 includes an arcuatecam surface I89 which when the member I05 is swung in one directionswings the lever I9I upwardly and the head 99 thereof downwardly andwhen the member I95 is swung in the opposite direction allows the leverI9! to swing downwardly and the head 99 thereof upwardly.

One end of a pair of link bars H0 is pivotally connected to the leverI04 as at H2 and the opposite end of the bars is pivotally connected asat H3 to the foot lever 84 intermediate the length thereof. Thus whenthe foot lever 84 is depressed as shown in Fig. 2, the link bars III!will swing the lever I64 downwardly and the head I92 thereof upwardly.

The device I9 is particularly adapted for use in closing one end ofoverstuffed seat cushions such as the cushion I I4. This type of cushionusually has corded edges as indicated at IIS. When making this type ofcushion all the sides are sewed shut except the upper edge of thematerial at one end as indicated at H6. Suitable stufilng material suchas indicated at H"! is then placed within the cushion and then the edgeH6 is. sewed shut.

With the device Ill after the cushion is. stuffed and ready to be closedit is laid on the table I2 below the plate 2| with the open endprojecting beyond the edge of the table. The member I9 is swungdownwardly and the plate 2| engages the upper face of the cushion andcompresses it as shown in Fig. 2. The member I9 and the plate 2| areretained in this down position by the latch 25 as previously described.

' The operator then inserts the pointed rod 65 of the stretchingmechanism 39 through the cushion adjacent one corded upper edge asclearly shown in Fig. 1 and then moves the grip member to a convenientlocation and inserts the pointed rod 51 through the opposite cordededge. In so doing the body 52 of the grip is inclined and engages thethreads 44 of the rod 42 as previously described. Thereafter theoperator rotates the rod 42 by means of the crank 43 to cause the grip5| and the rod 60 to move away from each other as previously describedthereby stretching the upper edge of the cushion. Thereafter the loosematerial IIS may be sewed to the upper corded edge if desired, but Iprefer to secure the material IIB to the corded edge by a plurality ofmetal clamps I20 such as shown in Fig. 5.

The clamps I20 are formed of a single piece of metal arcuately bent withthe edges thereof spaced apart and saw tooth notched to form a pluralityof sharp teeth I2I. The space between the edges of the clamp issufiicient that the clamp can be positioned over the upper corded edgeof the cushion as shown in Fig. 6. When the clamp is positioned on thecorded edge the upper end of the loose material IIB is positioned in theclamp between the inner surface thereof and the lower portion of thecorded edge. The clamp I2!! is held in place by hand and then theoperator grasps the hand grip lever Iill with the other hand and movesthe carriage 19 to a. position wherein the heads 99 and IE2 are in linewith the clamp.

The operator then moves the slide member 9| towards the cushion untilthe heads 99 and I02 are in the correct position above and below theclamp as shown in Fig. 6. The operator then swings the cam member I05upwardly as previously described thereby moving the head 99 downwardlyinto engagement with the clamp I20 which becomes positioned in therecess I00. Thereafter the operator places a foot on the foot place 86and pushes it downwardly thereby swinging the foot lever 84 downwardlywhich through the medium of the link bars Ill] swings the lever I04downwardly and the head I02 upwardly into engagement with the clamp I20which becomes positioned in the recess I03. Continued movement of thehead I92 towards the head 99 squeezes the clamp closed tightly aroundthe corded edge thereby firmly securing the loose material ||6 to thecorded edge.

Thereafter the operator releases the pressure on the foot lever andswings the cam member I05 downwardly whereupon the closing mechanism 95swings to an open position. This operation of the closing mechanism 95is repeated until a suflicient number of the clamps I20 have been placedin position to entirely close the previous open end of the cushion.

The operator then actuates the stretching mechanism 30 to move the grip5| and the rod 60 towards each other to relieve the tension whereuponthe grip member can be freely moved to free the pointed rod 51 from thecushion and then the pointed rod 65 is removed from the cushion.Thereafter the operator releases the member I9 from the latch 25 ispreviously described and the spring 22 swings the member I9 and theclamp plate upwardly a predetermined distance whereupon the cushion H4is free to be removed from the table I2.

From the foregoing description it will be apparent that I have provideda novel cushion closing device which is simple in construction andhighly eificient in use.

Having thus described my invention I claim:

1. In a cushion closing apparatus a stretching mechanism includingspaced supports, a rod rotatably mounted on said supports, said rodincluding a threaded portion, a grip member having an aperture receivingthe threaded portion of the rod, said grip member having a pointed end,a tip on said rod, said tip having a threaded aperture therein, thethreads of said tip aperture being reversed with respect to the rodthreads, said tip having a pointed end.

2. For use in closing a cushion, a stretching mechanism including a rod,said rod including a threaded portion, a grip member having an aperturereceiving the threaded portion of the rod, said grip member having apointed end, a tip on said rod, said tip having a threaded aperturetherein, the threads of said tip aperture being reversed with respect tothe rod threads, said tip having a pointed end.

3. In a cushion closing apparatus, a stretching mechanism includingspaced supports, a rod rotatably mounted on said supports, a grip memberon said rod, said grip member including a pointed end, a tip member onsaid rod, said tip member including a pointed end, and means to causesaid tip member to move back and forth relative to the grip member.

4. In a cushion closing apparatus, a stretching mechanism includingspaced supports, a rod rotatably mounted on said supports, said rodincluding a threaded portion, a grip member shiftably mounted on saidthreaded portion, said grip member including an end portion having apointed member thereon, a tip member secured to said rod, said rodincluding an internally threaded end portion and said tip memberincluding internal threads aligned with said internal threads of saidrod member, a reduced rod threadedly engaging the threads of the tipmember and the internal threads of said rod, the internal threads ofsaid rod being reversed with respect to the external threads of saidrod, said reduced rod including an end portion having a pointed memberthereon.

5. In a cushion closing apparatus, a stretching mechanism includingspaced supports, a rod rotatably mounted on said supports, said rodincluding a threaded portion, a grip member including a body having anaperture therein receiving said rod, said aperture being of greaterdiameter than the diameter of the rod and the walls defining theaperture being inclined at an angle to the face of the grip member sothat opposite edges of the aperture wall engage the threaded portions ofthe rod, said grip member including a portion arranged at an angle ofthe body, said portion having a pointed member removably mountedthereon, a tip member threaded on said rod, said rod including aninternally threaded end portion and said tip member including aninternally threaded portion aligned with the internal threads of saidrod member, a reduced rod threadedly engaging the threads of the tipmember and the internal threads of said rod, the internal threads ofsaid rod being reversed with respect to the external threads of saidrod, said reduced rod including a bent end portion and a pointed memberremovably mounted on the bent end portion.

ARTHUR J. KAY.

